Cape Cod sharks hunting seals close to shore: Researchers using aerial cameras to watch great whites’ hunting behavior

Boston Herald ^ | 37 min ago July 5,2021 | RICK SOBEY

[Capt. Tom]

The Atlantic White Shark Conservancy is launching aerial cameras to watch great white sharks hunt seals.

Cape Cod shark researchers say it’s rare for them to see sharks attacking seals and they’re hoping to get a better glimpse into great whites’ hunting behavior this summer.

The Cape shark scientists are launching aerial cameras to get a good look at the sharks hunting seals close to shore. The researchers will be setting up the fixed camera system off Orleans’ Nauset Beach to start.

“It allows us to get direct observations of what these sharks are doing when they’re in shallow water, and we can also see what their prey are doing,” said shark scientist Greg Skomal with Massachusetts Marine Fisheries.

The fixed camera system which is tethered to a structure placed in the water, can fly for the whole day, recording up to six hours of video in high definition.

People assume the shark scientists on the water are able to see a shark attacking a seal every day, but they don’t, Skomal said.

“It’s actually somewhat rare for us to see a predation event,” he added. “Our plane will see it two to three times a summer.”

When their plane witnesses an attack, the researchers — if they’re on the water — will go over to the scene and document what happened after the shark hit the seal. The scientists will record the environmental conditions — the water temperature, depth and location — to “try to get a sense of any patterns relative to when these animals are feeding,” Skomal said.

In other parts of the world, research shows that sharks can fail up 70% of the time when they attempt to kill a seal, Skomal said, noting that seals are fast, agile and smart.

[1Old Pro]

When my wife worked in Boston she would regularly go to a Motel on the beach in Truro. Very nice area and less congestion.

[nesnah]

And who exactly is paying for these researchers and their equipment to watch fish in the dang water?

That’s right! Us suckers.....

[Capt. Tom]

And who exactly is paying for these researchers and their equipment to watch fish in the dang water? That’s right! Us suckers.....

In Massachusetts us taxpayers got a big break when a private non-profit stepped in to pick up the bill.

Massachusetts white shark taggers had so many tagging successes they out ran the limited tags, and the money supplied by the State. Nobody expected that many white sharks to be in those waters. (Cap0e Cod)

The underfunded taggers were overwhelmed by the number of Federally protected white sharks now coming into the shallow waters close to Cape Cod’s easterly beaches to feast on the tens of thousands of Federally protected seals that congregated there.

In 2013, to help out with the underfunded shark tagging and research, the Atlantic White Shark Conservancy (AWSC), has donated the tagging boat, acoustic tags, spotter plane, and shark ping detection buoys. - Tom

[Capt. Tom]

Since you will be coming to my Mass. Bay side, I want you to know the white sharks are not going away. They will be here to welcome you.

My biologist friend “John” just posted this on twitter:

MA Sharks Shark
@MA_Sharks
Busy day in #CapeCodBay yesterday with over a half dozen white sharks spotted from Plymouth to P-town. Sizes ranged from 10’ to 16’+. Although its hard to judge size without anything for scale in the photos, you’ll notice the > 16’ shark has a lot more girth.
2:34 PM · Jul 6, 2021·Twitter Web App